


Say you won't let go

by aint_no_baby_mama_drama



Category: Ellick - Fandom, NCIS
Genre: F/M, Slow Burn, Undercover
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-23
Updated: 2020-02-29
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:53:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,794
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22863601
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aint_no_baby_mama_drama/pseuds/aint_no_baby_mama_drama
Summary: Ellick undercover Op. It'll come in multiple parts and I always welcome feedback/future ideas.*** edit ***I did get the basic idea for the plot from NCIS LA but I promise it’s not going to end anything like it. I think. Still working on it haha
Relationships: Ellick - Relationship, Ellie Bishop/Nick Torres
Comments: 24
Kudos: 95





	1. Chapter 1

Nick knew better, while he lived for undercover work, taking on a long op meant immersing himself into the world. The key to success was to believe your cover story. There was no halfway when it came to undercover work, you had to give it all or nothing. It didn’t only decide the outcome for the case, but often times it meant your life too. Long ops had a way of messing with your head. Make you start believing that you actually were the person you were portraying. 

And yet, despite all of the troubles that he had with undercover work in the past, he still lived for it. He loved it, way more than he did sitting behind a desk. It was why he jumped on the chance to go undercover. Since joining NCIS, the chances had been slim. It was one of his finer skill sets and there was absolutely no way he was going to pass on the chance to help out his team in the best way he knew how. But what he didn’t anticipate though…a partner. 

Not that he was complaining, really. He enjoyed the whole team. As resistant as he might have been at the beginning, he’d grown to love them like a family. McGee had quickly become like a brother, someone he could lean on for advice and turn to when things were bad. Gibbs, he’d somehow turned into a father role. Or rather a mentor. Gibbs was a tough guy, with a shell around him that seemed almost impenetrable, but, he loved his team. He had made Nick feel welcomed in his own way back when he joined. 

It only makes sense that Bishop would be like a sister to him. But that wasn’t exactly the case, regardless of how many times he’d tried to convince himself. There was something there, a lingering warmth attached to her laugh, a slight electricity in her touch. A brightness in her eyes that he found himself thinking about way too often.

It was inappropriate, honestly. She wasn’t his type. Did he even have a type? He wasn’t one for relationships, and there was absolutely no way he was going to touch this one with a ten foot pole. He couldn’t. Ellie was far too good for a street rat like him, not to mention it was the last thing he needed, to ruin the family that he’d found and a job he loved by stepping out of line over some school yard crush.. 

That was, until he got stuck on the undercover case with her. It wasn’t a bad idea logistically. They were both agents, and she was the only female that could mesh with him and still be effective. But going back to the beginning, the hardest part about being undercover was how quickly it messed with an agent’s head. How easy it became to think that things really were one way or another. 

This case had started like every other.. Sailors had come up dead, one by one. All high-ranking ones that were stationed at a nearby base. All killed execution style and their devices wiped. It appeared that they were after government intel and after an intensive investigation, they figured out that there was a Russian sleeper agent, very likely living and operating out of a small suburban area. Problem was, they had no idea who it was, or how big the op actually was going to be.  
The layout for the op seemed simple; pose as a just married couple that just moved into the neighborhood and get to know all 12 of their neighbors, as you would in a small community. Nick was resistant at first, insistent that he can do the op on his own but it was overruled quickly. Two agents were better than one. And a married couple was going to be easier to sell than a single man just buying a four bedroom house for no real reason. 

So he was forced to cave and, within a week, he and Bishop were moving into the house. The first day was spent mostly in and out the front door, carrying boxes. Nick spent his time with the movers, holding onto the fact that there was someone else still there and he wasn’t alone in the house with her. Yet. Of course that didn’t last long. After he’d helped them move the last couch in and set it down, he walked the movers to the door and shut it behind them, turning his attention to the silent house. 

Tapping his fingers on his thighs a few moments, Nick sighed and shook his arms out before walking into the kitchen in search of Ellie. He found her leaning against the sink, phone lifted before her in her left hand as her right lifted to her face, two fingertips resting on her chin. Her attention shifted up towards the man as he walked into the kitchen and she gave a small smile. 

“Hey!” The word was spoken enthusiastically, in a typical Ellie fashion, and Nick couldn’t stop the grin from stretching over his lips. “So I was just trying to find some good food around here. Maybe order in and unpack a bit? Like obviously just enough to make the house look lived in?” She asked, lowering the phone that she was examining a few local menus on. 

“Yeah, food sounds good.” He nodded his head in response before shifting dark eyes around the kitchen. “Pizza? Theres a little joint about 2 miles away I scoped out.” The words were spoken softly and he moved over to a box that was on the table, slowly pulling out glasses. He was positive that they’d be able to make it through the op, he just needed to focus on work. Keep his eyes, and thoughts, on the task at hand. 

Of course, that was easier said than done. A week into the op and they still didn’t have much information. They knew all of the neighbors and for the most part had learned their patterns, but none of them stood out as a terrorist. Then again, they normally didn’t put a neon sign outside of their homes that said “Terrorist inside” so it was going to require a bit of a deeper digging. A spare bedroom had been turned into an office of sorts, complete with pictures and all info on their neighbors. 

They had a main level bedroom, and while there were three others in the house, they shared a bed. For the sake of the op. If the sleeper agent was a close neighbor, it was likely they’d be watched for a bit, just to make sure that they were legit. And a newly married couple would not sleep in separate rooms. So he changed his sleeping habits. Usually, he slept in nothing but boxers. But sharing a bed with Ellie had forced him to sleep in sweatpants, or rather pajama pants, and a shirt. She’d done the same. 

But surprisingly, changing what he wore to sleep was much easier than actually sleeping. He’d woken early many mornings to find her stretched against his side, head on his shoulder and blonde locks splayed across his chest. It was distracting in all the wrong ways and he’d almost been afraid of going to lay down because of it. It seemed like the moment they both drifted off to sleep, they’d gravitate towards each other. Which he refused to read too much into, and he never commented about it to her. 

Ellie went for morning runs through the neighborhood, greeting the early morning risers and getting an eye on the morning activity, so it wasn’t a surprise when he’d wake up up to an empty bed. Pushing off the sheets, he rolled out of the bed and let a small groan out, stretching his arms above his head as he moved in through the kitchen, hand lifting to scrub against his face as he grabbed for a mug from the cabinet, pouring himself some of the coffee that Bishop had made before she headed out. It was a part of their daily routine. Before he went off to ‘work’ at the base for the day. 

“Jesus..” He groaned the word out and sighed, lifting the hot coffee up and sipping it slightly, feeling the dark liquid as it moved down his throat. Sighing, he walked to the door and stepped out onto the front porch, trying to wake himself up. He stood there for a few moments, drinking his coffee and looking around the calm neighborhood. Of course, he spotted the blonde he’d called his wife for four weeks almost immediately. Or rather he heard her. 

The laugh was infectious and a small smile stretched over his lips as he turned his head to find her. She was at the neighbors, standing at the end of the driveway chatting with the couple from next door. Her hands were on her hips, resting just over the band of her leggings and she was nodding her head along with whatever they were saying. As if she felt his gaze on her, her eyes shifted over and she spotted him, smile stretching over her lips as she lifted a hand and waived to him. 

The couple she was talking to, known as Richard and Maria Martin, turned at her wave and offered their own waves as hello’s. Awkwardly, he lifted his free hand and waived back, though he was really just looking at the blonde that started stepping away from them and giving her goodbyes before turning and jogging towards the house and up the driveway. 

“Morning, sleepyhead.” She gave him a grin and moved up the steps, immediately stepping into him and pressing her lips to his. It was sudden and for a few moments, he wasn’t sure exactly what to do. The kiss was brief, just a few seconds. It was a peck on lips, really, and yet it melted his entire body on the inside. He almost dropped the coffee cup, but managed to hold onto it as he looked down at her when she pulled back, sly grin stretched over her visage. 

“Come on, Let me make you pancakes.” She commented, patting his arms before stepping around him and heading inside the house. He glanced over at the neighbors that were still standing there and gave a soft smile before turning and stepping in behind her, gently shutting the door behind him and ensuring it was shut before he started through the house. He found Ellie in the kitchen, true to her comment just before, dancing around and pulling random things from the cabinets. 

“What was that about?” He asked, not one to be shy in the slightest. Ellie turned her head, blonde pony tail swaying with the movement. Her brows raised slightly and she feigned innocence. “Uhh.. I went for my morning run and talked to the neighbors.” A grin stretched over her visage and she approached the little island that was between them, leaning into it. “In fact, I scored us an invite to a community barbecue tonight. Apparently once a month everyone in the neighborhood gets together at the Douglas's house to grill out and do community stuff.” She lifted a fist to rest under her chin. “Perfect chance to get more information.” 

Her cute, innocent look almost distracted him from his real question. While what she’d shared was good news, it wasn’t what he was asking for. “You know what I’m talking about.” He commented, setting the coffee cup on the marble top between them. “Why did you kiss me?” The question was spoken softly and he stared at her, watching as a brow raised and she let a small laugh escape. 

“What? Nick. People were watching. Husbands normally don’t complain about their wives kissing them.” She shot him a look as she turned and moved back to the cabinet, pulling down a large bowl to mix the pancake batter in. Nick was silent for a few moments as he watched her. It was valid, and smart on her part, but the feel of her lips on his, so unexpectedly, it did things to him. A pool of warmth had started in his stomach and, for the first time in a long time, he regretted going undercover and wished he was back at his desk. 

When he didn’t speak, Ellie glanced over her shoulder as she started mixing the pancakes. “You know you could always come with me. See the early morning activity for yourself.” She commented, soft smile in place as she looked back to the bowl and added more water. 

Nick had spent quite a bit of time going through the dangers of longer undercover ops back at the headquarters before any of it had even started. She’d taken his advice, listening to it all with an open mind. He was the professional, after all. He’d told her how easy it was to slip into a role, how real it started to feel and how it could mess with the mind. She’d laughed it off then, but standing there in the kitchen, mixing pancakes and glancing at the rock on her ring finger. The words rang true. 

“If this is a ploy to see me in shorts, you just gotta ask, Bishop” He teased, choosing to brush the kiss off and focus on their relationship, their real one. The one that was centered around trust and a lot of laughter in the office. Ellie's eyes rolled as she glanced over her shoulder at him.“Ha-ha..Very funny. But I’m serious. You know getting up early won’t kill you.”

“Maybe not. But with a face like mine, I’d rather not take chances.” The male shrugged his shoulders in a playful motion and lifted the coffee cup back up to his lips, savoring more of the dark liquid. “It would break the hearts of many around the world, the death of Nicholas Andrew-Eglausia Torres.” He thickened his accent as he spoke his name, earning a laugh from the woman before him. Something that thrilled him a bit more than it likely should have. 

“I’m sure, honey..” Ellie smirked back over her shoulder as she moved to the pan, turning the burner on below it and shaking her head. Dark eyes moved down the blondes figure as she danced a bit, making pancakes. The entire moment started to feel entirely too domestic and Nick forced his eyes away, setting the cup down and moving out of the kitchen to get dressed. He didn’t need to be to the base until 10, the perks of undercover work meant essentially picking his own hours at a job he wasn’t really working. 

“Son of a BITCH!” The scream echoed through the house, catching Nicks attention immediately. Reacting, he dropped the military grade digital camouflage jacket on the ground and whipped around, running back through the house and getting back to the kitchen in time to see Ellie flip the water faucet on and stick her hand under it. “I touched the hot pan. I’m fine.” The words escaped her in a dismissive tone as she focused on the burn that blistered across the side of her pinky fingers almost immediately. Being weak was not something that Eleanor Bishop dealt with very well. 

“Ay dios mio…” Nick murmured the phrase with the shake of his head, lips curving up in a faint smile as he stepped up to the counter, looking down at her hand under the running water. The relief that flooded him at the realization that she wasn’t really hurt was immeasurable.

“So glad you think my pain is funny, Torres.” She spoke the words through gritted teeth and clenched her hand in front of her, turning the water off as she reached for a towel. Tanned hands shot out, grabbing the towel from her before gently gripping her wrist and turning it in his hand to look at the wound. 

“It’s not funny.” He commented, almost expecting her to hit him, or jerk the hand away, and she thought about it. But eventually she complied and just let him examine it. “Putting honey on it will help take the burn out” Dark eyes moved across the reddened and bubbled flesh before he released her wrist and turned, methodically grabbing the jar of honey from the cabinet and twisting the cap off. Pouring a healthy amount of it out onto the towel, he held it out to her, watching as she skeptically reached out to take it from him and press it to the wound. 

The room was silent a few moments as Nick recapped the jar and slid it to the back of the counter. Nick occupied himself by tucking the cream colored shirt into the military issued pants and tightening the belt, working to ignore the feeling of the blonde’s eyes on him. Eventually, he looked up, dark brow lifting as a playful smile stretched across his lips. “Take a picture, Bishop. It’ll last longer.” The comment scored him a light laugh from the hazel eyed beauty and he finished getting ready and headed to the base, hearing the melodic sound the entire time as it replayed through his head.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter two is finally here! Enjoy!

The day passed quickly, which wasn’t a surprise given the fact that Nick worked shorter shifts. He was security at the front gate of the base, an easy job that he picked up purely for the cover, with the cooperation of the upper leadership of course. He didn’t need a full job, or technically even the pay, just needed something to make it appear that the cover they were working was legitimate. The smell of food hit him before he even opened the front door, and he allowed it to let him lead him through past the foyer and down the hall. 

“Baby, is that you? I’m in the kitchen!” The honeyed tone of her voice was soothing and almost alarming at the same time. It wasn’t like they weren’t playing a couple, but usually, when the doors were shut and they were alone, they went back to the usual light banter and smart ass comments. As he got closer to the kitchen, he heard the second voice and the realization kicked in that they had company. 

“Yeah, it’s me” He gave a simple answer in return and rounded the corner, soft smile playing on his lips as his gaze landed on the women in the kitchen. Of course, he noticed Ellie first, which had become nearly instinctual at that point. But as combat boots stopped on the smooth tile of the kitchen, his eyes shifted towards the dark-haired woman at Ellie’s opposite and he widened a smile in an attempt to appear friendly.

“This is Faith, she lives in that beautiful bricked victorian down the street, with the wrap-around?” Ellie offered the explanation and Nick immediately drew the picture up in his mind. They’d cased out all of the houses on the street, naturally, and this was one of the few neighbors they hadn’t met yet. The blonde wiped her hands on the dishtowel near the large plate of food that she was preparing before moving across the room towards him, drawing his attention back to her. 

“Oh yeah,” Nick nodded his head, holding an arm out as Ellie stepped into his side, shifting to her tiptoes to press a soft kiss to his cheek. The simple action drew a genuine smile to his face and he glanced at her just a moment before looking back to the third person in the kitchen. “I met your husband the other day, Chet, right? That really is a beautiful home you have” He nodded towards her as his arm tightened around the blonde’s waist at his side.

“That’s right.” The woman nodded her head and offered a too-wide smile, her eyes unabashedly moving across Nick, who suddenly felt just the slightest bit uncomfortable. Not that he often shied away from the attention of a beautiful woman. It just felt wrong at that moment. “We just remodeled the dining area and would love to show it off sometime. You should come over for dinner sometime.” She offered, glancing at Ellie a few times but really keeping an eye on Nick. 

“Yeah, of course. We’d love that, right?” Ellie tilted her head back slightly to look up at Nick as she leaned a bit further into his side, seemingly silently urging him to agree. Not that he was going to disagree, they needed all of the intel that they could get. 

“Oh definitely, look forward to it.” He offered a nod and a smile as his hand dropped just a bit lower on the blonde's side, settling on her hip. It should have been alarming, how comfortable he was with her at his side. A part of him was sure that it went much deeper than just an undercover op, and she was much more than a pretty face. But none of those thoughts were ones he’d ever let linger for too long. 

“Excellent. Chet would love for another excuse to fire up the grill. He’s only been talking about the barbeque for the cookout tonight for the past week.” Faith laughed and slapped her hand on the solid wood of the table a few times as she pushed to her feet. “Well, I suppose I better be going. Sorry again for the intrusion, thanks for letting me use the stove! The casserole certainly wouldn’t have been the same cold” She commented, moving towards the covered glass dish that sat on the island in the middle of the kitchen. “It was a pleasure meeting you, Nick. I look forward to seeing you guys at the cookout!”

Faith grabbed the dish as Ellie stepped away from Nick, moving back towards the island where her own dishes sat and with a final, lingering, glance at Nick, she was gone. Nick watched as the door shut and waited a few moments before looking back towards the blonde that had busied herself at the island with a bowl of what looked like eggs before her.

“Creepy…” He murmured the word as he moved further into the kitchen towards her, or rather the food. The blonde shifted her eyes p at him, raising a brow as if to relay that she had no idea what he was talking about. “Oh come on, don’t give me that look. You saw it. She was looking at me like I look at tacos...What are you cooking?” He faked a shudder and leaned against the other side of the island, looking down at the food before him. 

“Was she? I hadn’t noticed.” The words slipped past the blonde's lips and her eyes shifted back down to the eggs before her. “We were one of the neighbors tasked with bringing sides. So, in typical cookout fashion, I made pasta salad and devilled eggs.” She turned, motioning towards the refrigerator in the corner. ”The pasta is done and in the fridge and the eggs just need to be filled.” A satisfied smile stretched over her lips and she sighed a bit. “I’ve been busy.” She rested her hands on her hips and looked over at him. 

“Clearly. And it looks like you managed to cook a bit without cutting a finger off.” He teased as he stepped back a bit and started stripping the camouflage jacket off to set on the table. Lifting his leg, he rested his foot on the seat of the chair and bent to untie his boots. 

“Ha-Ha, funny guy.” Hazel eyes rolled and the blonde scoffed before looking back down to focus on the task at hand as she continued speaking. “So I’ve got these done. I showered. So you just need to shower and get ready and then we can head over. We’ve got about 45 minutes. Think you can get clean in that time?” Her brow lifted and a small smirk stretched over her lips. 

“Bishop, please” Nick scoffed slightly as he kicked both boots off and towards the side of the door that lead to the hallway, something he was sure he would get shit about it from the blonde later. They weren’t actually married but getting used to sharing a space with someone, and their quirks had posed quite the challenge. “I can be showered and dressed before you even get those eggs filled.” 

He was wrong, but just barely. He’d walked out of the bedroom, tugging the jeans up his legs and securing the belt in place as she was snapping the lid on the top of the container and pulling the pasta salad from the fridge. The smirk on her lips told him that she knew she’d technically beat him. Not that it was a race, of course. 

“Seriously?” The words slipped out of her mouth before he’d even rounded the corner and he stopped, trying to figure out what he’d done wrong, before catching her gaze and realizing she was staring at his clothes. Looking down at his chosen outfit, which really just consisted of a black t-shirt and a well-worn pair of jeans, he started speaking. 

“What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?” He asked, confusion knitting his brows together as he looked back up to her, taking in her loose-fitting red sundress and sandals. She looked good, not that he needed to voice it out loud. But the time outside of the office had done her good, tanned her up a bit more. Something that was complimented beautifully by the deep shade of the dress. 

“I set out a shirt for you, Nick. So we can match.” She explained, hands lifting to her hips as she sighed. A brow lifted and, despite his best efforts to avoid it, he let a small laugh slip out as he shook his head. “It’s not funny. I thought it would be cute, more couple-y.” She huffed the words out before shaking her head. “But it’s fine, if you wanna wear your toddler-sized t-shirt instead, be my guest.” 

The tricky thing about women, if that doing what they tell you is ok to do, is usually the wrong choice. He watched as she turned back to make sure everything else was together and, after a few moments of contemplation, went back down the hall and into the bedroom. Sure enough, sitting on the bed was a red and black lined flannel shirt, one that would go with her dress. 

Lifting it, he sighed and looked off to the side before eventually sliding it on and buttoning it up to head back out. She didn’t say that he looked good, or that she was happy he went to change, but he could tell by the way her lips curved up just slightly at the edges when he reappeared. 

They’d gone over their cover story as they moved down the sidewalk, each holding a dish with one of the foods. The cover story was simple, they’d met in college, he’d chased her a bit and finally won her over. She worked at home as an analyst for a corporation and he worked base security. They’d gotten married a few months before, a week before Christmas.

They were, more or less, prepared for everything. This was important because, on an op, you never knew what kind of question would be thrown at you. A lot of times, the bad guys were paranoid. Which meant that they were likely to give little tests, slipped into conversation. 

The cookout was hosted just down the street in the backyard of the Gilbert’s home. It was a simple home with a basic shape, but the stone that had been plastered up onto the wall piece by piece, really made it stand out. Something Ellie had complimented the homeowners on the moment they’d spotted them. Nick stayed close to the blonde as they moved through the intimate group of people and made their way over to the table to set the containers of food down.

It wasn’t long before they were separated into their respective groups, she was pulled away by Faith over towards the group of wives and he’d migrated towards the men, keeping an eye on the woman he came with while focusing at the task at hand.   
He didn’t get much from the men, honestly. They were talking about the things that you’d picture a group of men conversing about, everything from the weather to the game on the TV the night before. One that Nick quite honestly didn’t pay a bit of attention to. But he knew better than most how to fake his way through a conversation and keep it flowing. Part of the job was to be ‘likeable’. 

Their separation only lasted about a half-hour before he’d found himself moving back towards her as the last bit of food was pulled off the grill and others started grabbing their plates. It was almost like gravity, the way he’d moved towards her. And while he knew that it was because of the case, the expectation that a husband certainly would move towards his wife, Nick couldn’t pretend that it stopped there. Even in the office, he was fully aware of how much time he spent at her desk. But he couldn’t help himself, for reasons he didn’t fully feel like investigating at that moment. 

So he didn’t think too much into the way she leaned into his side as he threw an arm over her shoulder, or the little bit of warmth that cascaded down his body as her hand lifted to rest against the small of his back to rub a few times as she laughed along with the couples before him. It was easy to get lost in her presence, and he did just that until a question was directed at him. 

“I’m sorry, what?” He asked, glancing around the group before looking back down to Bishop, who simply laughed and lifted her free hand to pat against his chest. 

“They asked how we met, daydreamer.” She gave a grin and turned back towards them. “College. I was a freshman and he was a junior. This guy here was an absolute flirt who didn’t take no fit an answer, no matter how many times I tried to give it.” She paused for a breath, tilting her head to grin up at him.

“And believe me when I say, she tried to give it a lot.” He laughed a bit, tightening his arm around her. “But she eventually caved to my irresistible charm. I had no doubts.” He shrugged a bit, looking down at her and delivering a wink that would look normal for a married couple, but between the two of them, it was just a playful little quirk. 

“Well if you weren’t so determined, we wouldn’t be here now.” She reminded him, soft grin pasted on her lips. Their eyes locked and, for a few moments, he almost kissed her. It would have looked natural, to those watching. But he was already walking a fine line when it came to the op because of his feelings for the blonde at his side. 

“Well, that is precious.” Mackenzie, one of the other block wives spoke up, lifting her hand to pat her husband's chest before giving Ellie a smile. “I’m going to go mix up my signature margarita. I’ve brought all the fixings for it.” She explained before turning away. Nick forced his eyes to look anywhere but his makeshift wife for just a few moments. He didn’t like the idea of her drinking. 

Obviously, blending in was important but alcohol had a way of loosening one's tongue and lowering their inhibitions. Clouding their mind just a bit. And something told him that drinks for her wouldn’t end well. She wasn’t exactly seasoned as an undercover agent and was more likely to be compromised accidentally if intoxicated. 

Mackenzie moved back towards the group, empty glasses in one hand and a pitcher of slushy pink liquid in the other. Pouring some, she extended the glass out towards him. “Oh no thanks. I got a beer. Not the slushy type.” He laughed, playing it off like a joke when in reality he could quite literally smell the amount of alcohol in the pitcher before him. It smelled like quite a toxic cocktail. 

When one was extended out towards the woman still under his arm, he cleared his throat a bit. Trying to signal for her to reject it. Her brow raised as she accepted the glass with a smile before glancing at him, and then back to their neighbors who’d somewhat dispersed. There was a group to the side, talking amongst themselves, and then a few random couples and friends scattered throughout the yard. But Faith, Mackenzie, Chet and Roger, Mackenzie's husband, we’re all still standing before them. Watching as he tried to silently con her into not drinking. Which she’d clearly noticed and ignored. 

“We’re trying for kids, now that we’re settled in,” She explained, waving him off slightly. “Nick’s just worried about the effects of drinking and all of that. This guy is a googling nut, super overprotective.” She untangled herself from his side and lifted a hand to pinch his cheek, a bit harder than necessary, as he faked a smile, fully aware that she was trying to put him back in his place before lifting the glass up go take a drink. 

“Ohhh well, isn’t that special.” The southern drawl slipped from Faith's mouth before the woman took a sip of the drink in her hand. “You know, they say that fertility is actually better when you’re relaxed. So having a drink won't hurt at all! Sure I can’t convince you to get one, Nick?” She asked, giving what was almost a slightly flirty smile. 

”Oh, I’m sure. Fruity drinks aren’t my thing, thank you though” He shook the offer off and lifted a hand to rest against Ellie’s back comfortably as the conversation continued and eventually everyone started eating. About a half-hour later found him relaxed back in a wooden lawn chair, his second beer in his right hand, half-empty. He’d made small talk with a man named George who lived three houses down. All the while keeping one eye on Ellie. 

She’d seemed to manage the first drink well, but he was surprised when she went back for a second. There was quite literally enough alcohol in one to knock her on her ass, and yet she was still walking. But he doubted she was near sober. As she walked past him, chatting with Faith, he reached out, grabbing her hand and stilling the blonde, who’s attention turned to him and lingered just a few moments before a slow smile stretched over her lips. One that told him that the woman was a bit too ‘out of it’ to be left alone. At least that’s what he told himself in an attempt to ignore the warmth that spread through him as she, less than gracefully, dropped herself down into his lap. 

Her legs went over his, off the side of the chair, and she leaned back into his shoulder, lifting the glass up to take another drink. Turning his head, he pressed a kiss against her hair and dropped his own head down a bit, murmuring in her ear, just low enough that only she could hear. “You should probably put that glass down and get some water...” She simply laughed in response, and dropped her hand down to rest atop his, patting it gently with a grin. 

“So tell us about your wedding!” The question drew his attention away from the blonde in his lap and towards Grace Mackey, one of two singles on the block as she sat before them with her plate. She had three children, two girls, and a boy, at least from what the faux couple had scouted out. “Was it big, small? Somewhere local?” The question was valid, and Nick opened his mouth to speak through the script he’d mentally prepared when Ellie cut him off, going away from their story. 

“It was beautiful. Little rustic barn out in the country where my family is. We had fresh magnolias, white tea lights.” Ellie shifted a bit in his lap, empty hand lifting to rest against the back of his neck, fingers absentmindedly playing the hair at the nape of his neck. It was a simple motion to her, but for him, it stirred up far too many thoughts that he’d rather ignore. 

“What song did you dance to?” Maria cut in, sitting next to her husband as she crossed one leg over the other and leaned in to listen to the answer. These people were a bit too nosy, in Nick’s opinion. Then again, he supposed that’s what neighbors did. They wanted to be friendly and needed to know who they were living next to. But he had to admit that the blonde, even intoxicated, was damn near perfect 

“Speechless, by Dan and Shay.” Ellie answered quickly, much faster than his brain could have even processed the question. “Mr. Romantic here sang it to me while we danced. To date, my favorite memory.” The words slipped from her mouth in a soft tone as she relaxed back into him, turning her head to meet his gaze. One hand was still behind him, resting against his neck and the other held her glass. Leaning in, she pressed their foreheads together and brushed her nose to his, robbing the breath from his lungs. 

The conversation continued around them as Nick’s eyes drifted shut. Of course, before he could actually think too much on it. She pulled back, a playful grin on her lips as she lifted the glass back up to drain the remaining alcohol in it and set it down. Her, now free, hand dropped back to his that rested on his thighs and she intertwined their fingers, shifting again so her back was to his chest. 

“You’re scarily good at this, Bishop.” He commented, murmuring it lowly in her ear again. She let another laugh slip past her lips and squeezed his hand gently. Turning her head, she rested it back against his shoulder and sighed, murmuring a simple ‘fake it till you make it’. 

The night probably should have ended there, honestly. They’d eaten, socialized, and gone through the motions that a normal couple would. And yet that isn’t how it worked out. An hour later, as the sun started to set and the tiki lights around the small community area came on, the music got louder and it had turned into a full-on party somehow. There was a bonfire going, one that Nick spent a fair amount of time around, meanwhile Ellie mingled with the ladies, making quick friends which really was what they needed. 

Nick wasn’t the jealous type. Really. He wasn’t. He was pretty confident with what he had and who he was. So it was safe to say that it wasn’t easy to make him jealous of any other man. Of course, that was before this little faux marriage with Ellie. He watched her for a bit as she danced around with the other wives, and a few husbands, progressively getting more and more intoxicated. 

He’d allowed it particularly because she seemed to still have a level head, and it made them look normal. But he was near stopping her and taking her home, over his shoulder if he needed to, when he’d watched a neighbor approach her. His name was Michael, and he was the second single/divorced neighbor that they had. He didn’t approach at first, but rather watched. 

His eyes narrowed just slightly as the man’s hand lifted to brush against the blonde's arms. Nick felt his body tense slightly, and his jaw clenched in a way that told him that it was definitely jealousy that rattled through his body. Ellie’s laugh hit him like a punch to the gut and he immediately turned, moving through the random assortment of people that were between them before he stepped up behind her, arm slipping around her narrow waist as he pulled her back against his chest. 

Michael’s eyes shifted up immediately to meet Nick’s and he took a slight step back, giving what seemed like an awkward smile as he looked between them. His arm tightened around the blonde as the other man rambled through a weak excuse to leave and departed. Ellie twisted in his arm and tilted her head back to look up at him. She was generally shorter than him, but after a few drinks her shoes had come off and now she quite literally was to his chin. 

“If I didn’t know any better, Nicholas, I’d think you were a little bit jealous.” She drawled the words out slowly, the smooth melody of her voice wrapped around his name settling pleasantly into him as he looked down at her. 

“I’m your husband. I’m supposed to be.” He murmured softly, faintly hearing the alarm bells that were going off somewhere in his mind to tell him that he was dangerously close to crossing a line. This was exactly why he was cautious to take on the case. Especially with her. Being undercover got to an agent’s head quickly. And there he was, living proof of it. 

It hadn’t taken too much more convincing to get her to head home, as others started heading to their own homes and the little party started dying down. He had no idea where she’d kicked her shoes off at and quite honestly wasn’t going to go digging for them. 

Once inside, he’d locked the door and focused on kicking his shoes off to settle in as Ellie moved down the hall to the kitchen, one hand against the wall to guide herself. “Our neighbors throw AWESOME parties” The words came from the kitchen moments before there was a shattering of glass. Nick was down the hall in seconds, entering the room where the blonde stood with her hands to her face and laughter bubbled past her lips. “I’m sorry. I wanted a cereal. Some cereal.” 

It was impossible to be mad at her, honestly, not that he would anyways. They weren’t really his plates. And she looked far too cute. Which wasn’t something he should have even thought. 

“Come on. It’s probably time to go to bed before you hurt yourself.” The words slipped from his lips in a request, one that came out almost like a demand. And he knew she was far from the type to take demands. Which she didn’t. Pink lips curved into a slight pout and she sighed as he stepped closer to her, on the opposite side of the glass and motioned her towards him so she didn’t cut her feet. 

“Wait.. Dance with me once.” The words were almost a slur, and he shouldn’t have indulged her, but the smile that played on her lips as she turned back to face him was too sweet to resist. He shook his head and sighed, stepping forward and taking the hand she extended to him. Ellie started humming, slightly offbeat, to some song that he’d heard once or twice on the radio station and, despite the faint fatigue that threaded through him over the events of the past few hours, a small laugh slipped out past his lips and he shook his head as she continued to hum and sway, without any rhythm at all. 

He took over, spinning her once away from him before bringing her back against his chest. A giggle slipped past her lips and her hands went to his chest as he guided her around the kitchen floor, the part without glass of course. For a few moments, they were lost in each other, spinning around the kitchen, both humming random parts of songs and moving their partner along with the dance. The tension from the day, and the job, that he carried drained from him and he let himself laugh along with her. 

“What would I do without you?” Ellie’s hands lifted to his face and she leaned into his chest, bringing another laugh from his lips. He shook his head just slightly and rested his own hands on her hips, holding her still to stop her from falling. 

“I think you’d make it just fine, Bishop.” He commented, brow-raising as he looked down at her, having no down in the validity of his words. Eleanor was a strong woman, smart, determined. She absolutely could have figured it all out without him. 

“Shh. You can’t call me that.” She whispered, fingers from one hand slipping from his cheek to brush against his mouth. “They could be listening now, you know..” Another whispered phrase followed by a moment of silence as her finger ran along his bottom lip, rendering him completely still. “You know, I think as my husband, you should take me to bed now.” The words were spoken lowly, and almost suggestive enough that he was sure he imagined it all. 

But then her thumb ran back against the stubble on his jaw and he watched her eyes drop down to his lips, lingering just long enough to dry his throat. Logically, he knew that it was a bad idea. She might have been a senior agent on the op but he was more seasoned. Not to mention he was more sober at that point in time. Which meant that if anything were to happen or they blew the op, it was probably going to be on him. And yet he couldn’t pull away. 

His own gaze shifted down to her lips, lingering there as her tongue slipped out to wet them down. Swallowing hard, he very slowly moved, head tipping down to capture her lips in a kiss. It’d escalated quickly from there. The moment their lips crashed together, things had heated up. His tongue danced along with hers, battling for dominance in the kiss as her hands left his face and moved up to tangle in his hair. He’d lifted her up onto the island in the kitchen, hands moving up her thighs and mouth moving down the side of her neck, fully intending to forget responsibilities and move purely on instincts. 

At least until she got sick. His lips moved down the soft spot of her neck, settling on her collarbone as his fingers met the bare skin of her thighs. Just in time for her to turn her head and vomit all over the island, the alcohol and the spinning finally catching up with her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys so much for the feedback! Oh my gosh <3 I hope this chapter is everything you all wanted and more! I'm thinking about doing the next one from her POV? Equal it out a bit? As always, feedback/ideas are always welcomed and appreciated. You guys rock!

**Author's Note:**

> What did you think? What do you want to see?


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